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bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Just started a new job and don't want to say where yet, but we have a weird problem. Eight of us Laowai teachers are here in apt. dorms, and the school is providing Internet for free.
Trouble is no one is getting online. We don't know if the problem is with the school, Unicom, the local govt., or the contract between the school and Unicom. The school keeps telling us 'tomorrow' but tomorrow never comes.

All our Chinese colleagues and neighbors have Internet. Hmmm. A couple of people have tried to negotiate their own contract but Unicom has refused to sign them up. I'm not sure what the school's position is. Also, China Mobile and Unicom are refusing to issue us telephone cards- we have to get a Chinese person to get the card for us. What's up with that? In other cities I just bought SIMS cards on the street corner.

For now I have to go to the Wang Ba every day for terrible wifi. Anyone else heard of this?

Babala · Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 1303 Location: Henan

I'm in Central China and I don't have that issue. Here's a few reasons why this may be happening.

You have to be the home/residence owner to sign up for internet so that is why you you are unable to do so.

Last year when I moved here and went to China Mobile to get a new SIM card, they tried to tell me that foreigners are not allowed to get one. I took my current China Mobile SIM out of my phone and told the woman that was simply untrue. It turned out that they had never had a foreigner in before and they didn't know how to key in the passport number as opposed to a Chinese ID number. I told her to call Shanghai or Beijing and find out. They probably just don't know how to do it and are too embarrassed/ lazy to tell you or ask for help.

Mr. Leafy · Joined: 24 Apr 2012 Posts: 246 Location: North of the Wall

JamesD · Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:09 pm Post subject:

According to the staff in my office......

The rules on phones just changed this week. Each phone card must be registered to a specific person or registered company (1 number per). My phone and a couple of others were registered to our company so yesterday I had to go to China Mobile and change it over to my name or they would have cut me off. Required my phone and passport, took about 3 minutes. Gave the lady my phone number, showed my passport, she typed in the passport name and number, then gave me a new SIM which is good for 4G.
Staff tells me the cards you buy from the corner markets will soon no longer be available. Anyone else heard about this?

What this has to do with your net connection, I'm not sure. Maybe the rule carries over to net accounts and (as noted above) your local yahoos don't know how to do it. Is being connected in your contract? You might POLITELY point out that it's their responsibility to provide it. If it continues to be a problem you might have to go in as a group and (again, politely) tell them it is interfering with your ability to teach.

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Thanks for the answers. They all sound reasonable.

One, it seems what is happening is indeed local, but two, there are also seem to be new regulations regarding phones and cards (hey, if anyone wants to complain try Japan), and I'm almost sure that would extend to providing Internet lines as well.

I also remember buying SIMS cards anywhere and everywhere. Seemed too good to be true then, and I guess it was.

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Thanks for the answers. They all sound reasonable.

One, it seems what is happening is indeed local, but two, there are also seem to be new regulations regarding phones and cards (hey, if anyone wants to complain try Japan), and I'm almost sure that would extend to providing Internet lines as well.

I also remember buying SIMS cards anywhere and everywhere. Seemed too good to be true then, and I guess it was.

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

One more thing:
Internet Cafes (Wang Ba) near my campus are also very strict. Some will allow me in only with my passport and work permit, others just wave me away. All the kids have to show their id cards too. Wow.

hdeth · Joined: 20 Jan 2015 Posts: 583

At least with China Unicom, I had to go to one of their main stores to get a sim card. The smaller vendors weren't allowed to deal with foreigners, or at least that's what they said. Could be a case of just not wanting to deal with a foreigner, but even with my girlfriend translating they said the smaller ma & pa-ish shops couldn't issue cards to foreigners.

Oh, the hours I've spent at banks because no one has ever dealt with a foreigner before....

If you are renting, it shouldn't be a problem to get the internet...it's just usually a 12 month contract, paid up-front.

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

The thing about needing to register a phone with an ID was on tv last week. Main CCTV news station broadcasted it and it is an implementation of a law that has been there for a while. Probably just down to the local places not being sure what to do.

The internet is a lot more confusing. Your only real path is to keep pressure on the school. I remember when I lived on campus it took ages for them to break down and allow us to get private lines. Some teachers pushed real hard for it and eventually it happened.

bluetortilla · Joined: 18 Apr 2006 Posts: 815 Location: Henan

Well, I guess the school renewed the package with Unicom because we all have Internet now Smile

and the older teachers say it's much faster now too.

All is well that is well.

China was the only country I knew of where you could just buy a SIMS card (or as many as you like!) at the little grocery store and be good to go. Maybe there are others. Kind of surprising, considering how China likes to keep tabs on all communications. Not surprising that those days seem to be going quickly.

JamesD · Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 3:00 am Post subject:

Clarification from my source.

You can still buy SIM cards at the Mom'n'Pop shops - BUT:
1. you have to show them an ID.
2. the government may decide (sometime in the future) to shut off the card unless you formally register that number with the phone company (China Mobile, Tele...).

So the street cards will work but no guarantees on how long, so many of the small shops have just stopped selling them altogether.

You can legally purchase as many SIM cards as you want so my initial info was wrong. One person can buy a dozen cards if they like as long as they have an ID.